iCAST: Possible Steps Toward the Integration of Nonverbal Signals into Psychotherapeutic Practice

Background: Nonverbal behavior is considered an important factor in therapeutic relationships across therapy schools. Despite a multitude of findings from a fruitful research phase from the 1960s to 1980s, the currently available knowledge in this area is relatively modest and specific instructions for its use in psychotherapy remain rare. Research question: Based on a practical model for the theory-independent utilization of nonverbal signals, a beneficial consideration and integration of this channel of communication is proposed. Material and methods: The iCAST model with its five domains offers a possible framework, which encourages the concrete usage of nonverbal signals in psychotherapeutic interactions. An exemplary analysis of the movement behavior of therapists illustrates the current technological possibilities and offers insight into the potential of this observational position. Results: Nonverbal signals expand the therapeutic degrees of freedom in diverse areas: Besides the countless possibilities to address elements and to experience and practice them in sessions, nonverbal behavior can also provide important information on the level of clinical case conceptualizations. Discussion: The focus on the dyad underlines the dynamic, joint process between patient and therapist and invites therapists to reflect on their feelings and behaviors against the background of mutual influence (attunement) and to incorporate them into the therapeutic process. Introduction to the topic: Nonverbal behavior has a shadowy existence in many overviews of the skills of psychotherapy. This situation is surprising in view of the cross-school consensus regarding the relevance of nonverbal behavior for the therapeutic relationship. It is possible that the difficult tangibility of the phenomenon contributes to this. A simple heuristic for dealing with nonverbal signals in therapy sessions is outlined and illustrated using empirical data of movement behavior derived from video recordings.